Moveable Feast

Easter Weekend arrives. As our ancient gardener in Aruba would say late summer or early fall of each year, "Well, Mrs. Thompson, Christmas is upon us." And I'd have to say the same of Easter; it is upon us. Unlike Keith who lamented months in advance, Easter just creeps up.

Is there ever a "good" time for this most honored and holy string of days in the Christian calendar? Probably so but I think not, at least for me, this year. In a month already overburdened with events, obligations, trips, and sprinkled with ever present stress, resistance, and change, it seems that Easter might pick another weekend in 2008, say in April sometime. I would honor the opportunity to really consider the contemplative questions and the issues that this time of year brings forth but just not now.

Railing against the question: "why now?", I decided to research the answer. At least that way, I'd own one crisp and accurate response to a long list of unanswerables. Easter, the so-called "Moveable Feast" in the Christian calendar, hits anywhere from March 22 to April 25. Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the "Paschal Full Moon" (which this year occurs today, March 21). The Pashcal Full Moon is the first full moon after the Spring Equinox (a date that is fluidly defined and too complex to describe here; I've learned it isn't always on March 21).

That Easter this year falls on March 23 makes this one of the earliest possible dates in the calendar. According to The Christian History Institute, the last time Easter occurred on March 22 was in 1818 and the last time it occurred on March 23 was 1913 (not in our lifetimes!) The early bird nature of this year's Easter should be noted as quite unusual and perhaps that explains why the celebration feels so out of place.

Tonight is Seattle First Baptist Church's magnificent production of The Passion featuring choir, orchestra, bells, and their new organ, an instrument which Mom and Dad helped fund generously last year. They have never had the opportunity to hear the organ played. Tonight we had considered taking them to this event as both had expressed an interest but today is "moving day" in this time of moveable feasts, laden with newness, anxiety, and exhaustion. How can one more event be tacked on to the days of 90 year old people? I think not although sadness pervades. Timing is everything and Easter is just too early this year.

Amen.